Social relation

A Social relation is a concept in social science referring most generally to a relationship between two or more people, but that relationship can exist without those people actively and deliberately relating, communicating or associating with each other.

Therefore, the concept of a social relation can in fact refer to a multitude of different kinds of social interactions, perhaps regulated by social norms, between people who have a social position and perform a social role. In the hierarchy of sociological concepts, a social relation refers to something more than behavior, action, social behavior, social action, social contact and social interaction.

Social relations form the basis of social organization, social structure, social movement and social system. Individuals are born into a pre-existing pattern or network of social relations, define their identity through social relations, and ultimately cannot survive or stay healthy in an isolated way without social relations. On the other hand, if they experience intense pressure from other people, this can cause individuals to withdraw or try to escape from social relations.